It's Swell!

Back from a productive morning walk by the Lake. It was very nice..with the chirping birdies and chattering chipmunks...and even a nice herd of deer crossing the path above me. And yet, despite all this nature and niceness, I am not 100% comfortable in my new surroundings. I still jumped a foot to my right when I heard some critter's rustling scamper in the grass to my left. I still gazed suspiciously out of the corner of my eye as I power-walked around a blind curve on the path...hoping (not) to spot the hungry bobcat that was scoping me out before he had the chance to size me up as a plump and tasty breakfast treat.

I'm sure I'm just overreacting, as usual. I passed at least 5 other humans on my walk, none of whom looked especially paranoid of an impending wildlife ambush. They were all jogging/walking/biking along, ipods nestled in their ears, not at all fearful of Medical Lake's version of "When Animals Attack".

I'll get there. Someday soon I'll be as confident as they are. And maybe as in shape...and not doing my high-altitude wheeze as I hike up that last incline.

Annny-way....so it's Monday again. What did you do this weekend?

I watched most of an interesting movie while I folded the laundry on Sunday morning. I missed the beginning, and had to jump in the shower at the very end...but I saw the middle...which we all know is the real meat of any film. It was Gidget Goes Hawaiian (1961), and I really enjoyed it's kitschy, summer goodness.

I love those 1950's to mid 1960's, campy, wholesome, brightly colored flicks. The choreographed, tap, jazz dance sequences. The opportunities to break out into spontaneous songs. The innocent banter between the sexes.

Here's a little snippet from Gidget and Moondoggie's (her boyfriend) misunderstanding/fight on the beach at Waikiki, after Moondoggie shows up to find his little chickie smooching another guy!

Gidget: Who didn't care if I went away?? Who thought a trip to Hawaii was a chance of a lifetime?

Moondoogie: Me, and I still do. And I intend to take full advantage of it. So go back to playing "kiss in the ocean" or whatever that was, I'll get a game of my own going.

Gidget: (some weird Hawaiian phrase..which she then translates:) Rots a Rock!

Haha! It's "just the living end!" Everybody is so well groomed, even in bathing suits! Their hair is so stiff, I totally understand the popularity of hairspray in those days. Out to dinner with their pals? The guys are dressed in impeccable suits, tight to the ankles, and the girls are in kitten heels and shiny dresses with poofy crinoline under-skirts.

And the surfing scenes! Classic cute actor/actress, standing on a rocking surfboard, with an ocean on the screen projected behind them, and somebody spritzing them with water from the front. Ha!

Elysse and Natalie joined me on the bed to watch Gidget's antics and they actually loved it. I know theres quite a few Gidget movies, so maybe we'll have to rent a few. I used to watch Sally Field on the Gidget tv show reruns when I was a kid. I always appreicated how cute she was. The guys hair was always a bit shellacked for my taste, but they sure were groovy back then!

No surfing here in Washington today. Honestly, when I lived in Hawaii, I never learned to surf. Nor did I take any hula lessons. Because once you live there, that stuff becomes a bit touristy. I mean, surfing is cool...but my klutzy tendencies didn't exactly encourage standing on a board while balancing on waves. I'll stick to surfing the net. Less dangerous for me.